1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process cartridge being detachably mountable to the main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a developing device, a developer container, and a method of assembling the developer container.
Hereupon, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is an apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium using an electrophotographic image forming process. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes, for example, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (e.g. a laser beam printer, a light emitting diode (LED) printer, and the like), a facsimile machine, a word processor and the like.
Moreover, the process cartridge is a cartridge, into which an electrophotographic photosensitive member and at least developing means are integrally incorporated, and which is detachably mountable to the main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Incidentally, the process cartridge may include at least one of charging means for charging an electrophotographic photosensitive member and cleaning means for cleaning the electrophotographic photosensitive member besides the developing means.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus has adopted a process cartridge system, in which an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge detachably mountable to the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Because, according to the process cartridge system, a user himself or herself can perform the maintenance of the apparatus without relying on a service person, the operability of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus could remarkably be improved. Accordingly, the process cartridge system is widely adopted in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
As shown in FIG. 15, a conventional process cartridge B includes a developing device unit 119 integrally formed by welding a developer container 114 and a developing frame 113 together. The developer container 114 contains developer and an agitating member 115 disposed in the developer container 114. The developing frame 113 holds developing means such as a developing blade 112 and a developing roller 111 as a developing member. The process cartridge B also includes a photosensitive member unit 120 composed of a photosensitive drum 109, cleaning means 117 including a cleaning blade 117a and a removed developer reservoir 117b, a charging roller 110, and the like, all being attached to a drum frame 118. The process cartridge B is made to be a cartridge by the combination of the developing device unit 119 and the photosensitive member unit 120 in the state of being swingable or integrated.
In such a process cartridge B, the developing device, or the developing device unit 119, is ordinarily composed as two-divided sections of the developing frame 113 supporting the developing roller 111 and the developing blade 112 as the developing members and the developer container 114 for containing developer therein. Moreover, ultrasonic-welding a container frame 122 and a lid frame 123 together at a welding plane U forms the developer container 114 in the shape of a container. After that, flanges 122a and 122b formed along a developer feeding opening of the developer container 114 (the container frame 122) and welding ribs 113a and 113b formed on the developing frame 113 are abutted against each other, and the flanges 122a and 122b and the welding ribs 113a and 113b are connected to each other by the ultrasonic welding at connection portions X and Y.
The ultrasonic welding of the developer container 114 and the developing frame 113 of the aforesaid conventional process cartridge B is performed by the following method as shown in FIG. 16. That is, the flanges 122a and 122b provided on the developer container 114 are supported on their under face by receiving jigs 170a and 170b, respectively. Then, the developing frame 113 is placed on the flanges 122a and 122b, and the developing frame 113 and the flanges 122a and 122b are welded by ultrasonic waves at the connection portions X and Y by the use of welding horns 171a and 171b, respectively, from the upper side of the developing frame 113. That is, the developing frame 113 and the developer container 114 are put between the receiving jigs 170a and 170b and the welding horns 171a and 171b, respectively, and the developing frame 113 and the developer container 114 are welded and fixed at the connection portions X and Y. Consequently, the developing frame 113 and the developer container 114 need the flanges.
As such, in the developing frame 113 and the developer container 114, the welding plane U is disposed between the two connection portions X and Y using the flanges. Therefore, spaces are required between the welding plane U and the two connection portions X and Y. These spaces are dead spaces in which developer cannot be contained. Consequently, the conventional process cartridge B has a problem that the process cartridge B and the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus become larger than necessary if the capacity of the developer container 14 in which developer can be contained is enlarged.
The present invention is a further development of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a developer container including a developer containing portion being improved in the efficiency of the developer containing capacity of the developer containing portion, a developing device using the developer container, a process cartridge using the developer container, a method of assembling the developer container, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a developer container including a developer containing portion, the developer containing capacity of which is increased, a developing device using the developer container, a process cartridge using the developer container, a method of assembling the developer container, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a developer container capable of connecting its developer containing portion with its developing frame without forming a flange in at least one portion, a developing device using the developer container, a process cartridge using the developer container, a method of assembling the developer container, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a developer container capable of increasing its capacity not only without increasing the size of a developing device or a process cartridge but also without increasing the size of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the developing device using the developer container, the process cartridge using the developer container, a method of assembling the developer container, and the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a developer container formed by connecting a developer containing portion and a developing frame on the side opposite to the developer containing side of the developer containing portion when the developer containing portion and the developing frame are connected together, a developing device using the developer container, a process cartridge using the developer container, a method of assembling the developer container, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
According to the present invention, it becomes possible to increase the capacity of a developer container.